A blog about knitting, adventures, life, knitting, Ms. Kitty (also known as your Royal Highness), and did I mention knitting?

4.23.2008

Samantha...sweet girl

September 1993 -April 15, 2008

This is my sweet Samantha who left this world for a better place last week. She was a beautiful cat with a sweet disposition. All I had to do was look at her and she'd start purring! She loved to play with her basket of toys and often dropped them at my feet to join in her fun and was a big fan my yarn and knitting. She never met a yarn ball, she didn't like. I thought I'd have her for a lot longer, but it wasn't meant to be.

Samantha was a charmer right from the start! I had offered to pick up the "twins" for my mother who wanted 2 cats to keep each others company when she was at work. They were 2 siblings that looked alike expect for the size of a white stripe that went from the top of their heads to their noses. Otherwise, you couldn't tell them apart. My friend Sandy, kept the kittens in the recreation/playroom, so they wouldn't get into to much mischief in the rest of the house. She told me she had one more kitten left and that one was going to the pet shop, because there were no offers to take her. I thought about it ,but wasn't really planning to get a cat at that time.

All of the sudden we heard pool balls rolling and out of one the pockets popped up a kitten, who then scurried across the table doing 100 mph! When I saw that beautiful and spirited cat, there was no way in hell she was going to any pet store! She rode to her new home that night tucked in my sweater with her head poking out every once-in-while and purring like a machine. She's been one of my best decisions in life!

She had recently developed a slight limp that resulted in a Vet visit. At the time it was thought to be an ingrown toe nail. it was clipped and she seemed fine. For a few days she seemed like her old self, but I thought her weight had changed slightly, the nail seemed to be sticking further out than the other nails and she was limping again. At the follow-up visit, Dr Wolfthal felt a small bump behind the nail. It was one of two things " An infection or tumor. He treated it as an infection and if it wasn't perfectly normal in a week, He'd x-ray it and remove the tumor. Everything went down hill quickly. The tumor grew rapidly and the foot a just didn't look right. We scheduled her to have the toe removed in the event it was malignant. She continued to decline and X-rays the day of her surgery showed a malignant and fast invading tumor. It had gone to her bones and lungs. The only thing that could be done was feline hospice or euthanasia. Dr. Wolfthal recommended euthanasia because although she never was a cat who showed any sign of pain, she had to be in great pain. I took her home that day so I could have one more day with her and brought her back the next day to be "put to sleep" . It's one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make and I didn't want to be selfish and hold on to her for my sake. She just wasn't the same and looked as though she wanted it to be over. All she wanted to do was to be held on my lap and sleep. I was there with her and held her to the end. My sweet little Samantha, you always be in my thoughts and in my heart. I miss you more than you'll ever. know.

I'm so sorry to hear about Samantha. It is a hard decision but you did the right thing. I know how you feel because we had to have our larger than life cat Lucy put to sleep a couple of years ago and we still miss her so much.

Came over from Chris' blog to tell you how sorry I am at the loss of your kitty. We lost our Charlie last fall, and I still miss him terribly, so I know a little of what you are going through. Feline cancer is a horrible thing. I am sure Charlie will meet Samantha at the bridge and wish her welcome.

If you are on Ravelry, there is a pet loss group where some of hang out to share stories or just be with people who know what this loss is like. Please join us. *hugs*

I saw your comment on Yarnbeans' blog and wanted to extend my sympathies to you. In 2000, I lost my beloved Vincent to a vicious form of mouth cancer. It's never easy. But Samantha was truly loved—may she be forever in your heart.

I just read about your Samantha and am so sorry for you. My prayers and thoughts are with you.

I had a similar situation a few years ago with my cat, Tiffany. I thought she had developed a bad cold, and immediately took her to the vet before it got any worse. It was a rapidly developing lung cancer that hadn't been there 3 months earlier when she had gone to the vet.

Your Samantha is playing with my cats Tiffany, Sammy,Dee and my dog Babs and they aren't suffering anymore.